Fluid sampling equipment



Sept. 2, 1952 H. B. BREEDLOVE EIAL ,8

FLUID SAMPLING EQUIPMENT Filed June 24, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Orifice 2 I 9 -42 40 '15 K 15 1 7r'me Switch Mercury Reservoir Measur/nq Chamber [.9 2O

FTC-Z 24% 61W 33 100. YQJWW W Sept. 2, 1952 Filed June 24, 1948 H. B. BREEDLOVE ET AL FLUID SAMPLING EQUIPMENT FIG-2 Z0 F/G'. 5 ag 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Patented Sept. 2 1952 UNITED ESTATES Pare ru n) AMPLING EQUIPMENT I rial-rye. Brecdlov-e and Henry G. Abbott, Baton -Rouge,--La.,-assignors to Standard Oil Development Company, a corporation of Delaware Application nine 24, l9 i8'yserial No. 35,014

Thisinvention relates to apparatus employed for withdrawing samples of fluid .irom a particular conduit. In particular, ...the invention concerns an apparatus for automatically .withdrawing a quantity of sample iromia fluid line whichis proportional to the flow-rate of the fluid in the line. The apparatus is adaptable toautomatic control permitting consecutive .samples :to be withdrawn periodically at any desired intervals of time, so as to provide acomposite sample representative of the total fluid flow-during. .the

sampling intervals. The apparatusmay .be employed in conjunction with lines operated at .any,

temperature or pressure and carrying any type of fluid such as oil, gas, wateryetc.

' In the control of chemical :processes; itv is :ex.- 3

changing, the samples will not properly represent the composition of the 'fluid flowing through the. line. A solutionto this problem is 'towithdraw quantities of samples which are .proportional to the flow rate atthe instant the sample istaken. A composite'of such'samples'will'prop 7 .erly represent the composition of the fluid sampled over the entire sampling period. While many improvements have -been-made in the technique and apparatus usedQior-sampling, at

the present time, sampling devices have not been satisfactorilydeveloped to automaticallyewithdraw a quantity of sample proportional to the flow of a fluid being sampled. Generally an approximationof this is obtained merely by :withdrawing particular sized samples at frequent intervals. It is therefore the principalobject of this invention to provide apparatus which-will automatically accomplish this objective.

- A further difiiculty in sampling is encountered when'it isnecessary to withdraw samples irom lines under either very highorlvery IowJpres sures. In either case complicated equipment is required to "obtain the samples, -in -spite :of which the jcompositionoi the samples .may be altered which the sample is drawn;

s olaims. (01. 73-422) due to the withdrawal procedure employedu It is therefore a further object of this invention. to provide apparatus permitting the withdrawa l of a sample from a fluid conduit under any pres 'surep'at the pressure existing in the 'conduit assuring a substantial identity between the, nature of the sampleand the materialin the -line from The nature of this nvention!will be better understood from the followingdetailed descr-ip tion in connectionwith the accompanying drawings which show diagrammatically inel'evation preferred embodiments of the apparatus of this invention.

Inthese drawings Figure l diagrammatically illustrates a complete embodiment of this invention utilizinga single solenoid valve; and F'igur e'2 illustrates a modification of the apparatus of Fi ure lembodyin'g twojopen and close ='so1enoid valves, and Figure 3 represents-a further modification of the apparatus ofFigure l utilizinga two-way valve controlled byatiming motor.

Referring now: to Figure 1 of the drawing, numeral l designates aline from which it is desired to "withdraw samples. Asstated any fluidgsuch asoiLfg'as, or water may .be conducted in'line. t. Positioned in the line is anorifice' 2 which may be of any design. I The soleiunction-o'f theorifice is to supply a pressuredrop in theglinewhichwill set up pressure differencesin the associated'lines 3' and 4 connected to the high and lowpressure taps of the orifice. I It will be apparent as-the description-proceeds that while the nature of theorifice is not critical, the, pressure drop provided bytheorifice is critical. It, is necessary that the .orificebeso chosen thata sufficient pressure 'drcpwillexist across the orifice to. force areasonable quantity of sample to pass through line-i3, andyetzthatv the pressure drop is not so large as to completely,displacethemercury in ithe apparatus being; described. Connected to the high and low pressure conduits,; 3-'and 4, of the orifice are drums and 6. Hereinafter drum 5 will be. designated as the sample drum as it is in--this-drum;that the. sample withdrawn from line-l is:accumu1ated. .jIhe drum -6 will similarly .be designated as a .fseal -liquid receiving drum? since its functionis to serve as areservoir rpr sealingliquid maintained in the system, his sealing liquid is ,anyliquid which is not miscible with the fluid in the line from whch samples .iar e withdrawn. For example, in the particular case where the fluid in line 1 is .oil, thesealing liquid employed may be watercr iglyce'rine. .sumcient er li i l l 'ifi qd g i it s m to 3 stantially fill one of the drums 5 or 6 and furthermore to fill associated lines of the system to be described. A line 36, provided with a restriction orifice 31, is connected between the lines 3 and 4. Bottom drawoff lines are positioned in each of drums 5 and 6 permitting passage of liquid from these drums to the measuring apparatus employed. Thus a line 1 from the bottom of drum 5 passes to the solenoid valve 3 which controls flow to lines 9 and i0. Similarly line ll positioned in the bottom of drum 6 passes to line l2 connected to the mercury reservoir (3. A connecting line 14 is also provided between the lines 1 and H. Solenoid valve 8 is connected, as stated to line I from sample drum 5 and is also connected to lines 9 and Ill connecting respectively to mercury reservoir 13 and the measuring chamber l5. This two-way solenoid valve is adapted to permit the flow of fluid through lines In and 9 or through lines I and was desired. It is to be understood that thisvalve at the same time prevents fiow of the liquid through any other combination of the lines connected to it. The solenoid valve 8 is operated by an electrical supply circuit indicated by conductors l6 and I] and rectangle 18. Element I8 may be any desired type of time switch or pulsing switch. For example, switch I8 may consist of a repeating cycle timer as manufactured by Eagle Signal Corp., Moline, Ill., listed in Bulletin No. 265 of that company.

As the construction of the switch and solenoid valve is not a part of this invention they will not be described in detail. It is to be understood, however, that any desired type of valve or switch may be employed. As will be apparent, the function of switch I8 is to activate the solenoid valve for a particular interval of time during a particular interval of time. be desired to activate valve 8 for one minute of each hour or for ten seconds of each minute. Line I connects the solenoid valve to the upper part of a measuring chamber l which is at least partially filled with mercury or an equivalent;

orifice 2 will be a function of the square of the flow rate of the fluid in the conduit I. Consequently measuring chamber 15 is so constructed that the volume of mercury displaced from measuring chamber I5, caused by differential pressure across orifice 2, will be directly proportional to the square root of the differential pressure across orifice 2 in line I. The configurae tion of this chamber is best determined by simple experimental procedure. Thus with the measuring chamber I5 and the mercury reservoir [3 connecteda'cross the orifice 2 as illustrated, by varying increments of fiow rate in line I, the capacity of measuring chamber l5 for each increment is so chosen as to provide a particular vertical displacement of the mercury in reservoir l3. It will be found that the configuration of the measuring chamber l5 when employing a For example, it may cylindrical reservoir I3 is represented by the formula where X=the diameter of the measuring chamber at a height Y from the height representing no differential pressure.

D=the diameter of the cylindrical mercury reservoir l3.

T=a constant which is equal to the maximum sample volume at maximum flow at differential pressure R. divided by the square root of the differential pressure R.

R=Differential head range of instrument in inches of manometer fluid.

All dimensions given above are in inches.

In this formula practical limitations require the lower limit of the diameter of the chamber to be in the range determined by volume for ,Y or about .001R to .OlR.

It may be noted that chambers having the required configuration of measuring chamber l5 are known to the art and are employed for various purposes. For example, a chamber as required in this invention is to be found in the flow meter identified in the Foxboro Catalogue, Bulletin No. 200-7, page 12, type 7U (7417).

While a suitable configuration for the measuring chamber l5 has been indicated for the case where a cylindrical mercury reservoir I3 is em ployed, a different configuration may be used for use with non-cylindrical mercury reservoirs. For example, if desired, both the mercury chamber and themercury reservoir may be designed to have the same configuration, represented by the formula o.9597i/VM (WW?) VM=maximum sample volume in cubic inches. Othersymbols are as defined above.

In this case one chamber must be inverted with respect to the other. It is to be understood therefore that the. only restriction on the nature of the mercury chamber and reservoir is that the volume of mercury displaced from the mercury chamber into the reservoir is directly proportional to the square root of the differential pressure causing the displacement.

The manner in which the apparatus operates may now be understood. At the beginning of the sampling operation valves 2| and 22, in lines 3 and 4 leading from orifice 2, are closed. No differential pressure existing on the system therefore, the mercury in thelower part of the system substantially fills the measuring chamber 15 leaving the mercury reservoir l3 only partly filled with mercury. The "sealing liquid which, as stated, may be water, fills the upper portions of chamber l5, mercury tube 13, and all lines below the drums 5 and 6. Suflicient sealing liquid is employed so that the liquid also approximately half fills drums 5 and'G. Sufficient sealing liquid may be introduced to the system through line 30. When thesealing liquid has been properly introduced, as described, the apparatus may be brought to the pressure existing in line- I by opening valve 22 associated with the low pressure tap of orifice 2. Valve 24 and valves 29, 28, and 21 are similarly opened, while valves 2!, 26, and 25 are closed. Fluid from line I will therefore flow through line 4 into drum 6 and impart the hydrostatic pressure of line I to'the system; Sealing liquid is thendisplaced from drum 6 to drum-5 by opening valve 25'and valve 26 permitting fluidto discharge from outlet drum 5, substan- -A sample may now be Withdrawn as desired.

'-I-n order to-withdraw aj s'ample, valves 28 and26 areclose'd and valves 21 and 25 are opened.

Solenoid-valve 8-is'then activated to permit flow of -fluidthroughline's 1 and-10 and to prevent flow of liquid through line 9. 'When'ithesolenoid valve is so operated, the pressure difierence ex- "'isting across the orifice 2 will cause the sealin 'liquidin-drum 5 to be displaced-through line J and line into the measuring 'chamber lii,

simultaneously displacing mercury from this *measuring chamberand forcing it into the mercur-y reservoir 13 through line l9. This causes sealing liquid to be expelled'from mercury reservoir l 3 and to be introducedtothe sealing liquid receiving drum'B, displacing line liquid in drum 6 through line-4 back into line l. This flow-will continue until the displacement of the liquid in drum- 5, caused by thedifferential pressure, has displaced the mercury in the lower part of the system sufiiciently to counterbalance the pressure difierential applied. Consequently an amount of fluid will be withdrawn'fromlinel and will be contained in drum 5which is proportional to the flow rate existing in conduit I. After this operation has been completed solenoid valve 8 may be deactivated changing its position The "interval of time over which the solenoid is ac- -tivated is critical and must be at least sufficient *to'permit theflow to-equilibrium as described; --Qn deactivation of the-solenoid valve 8, fiowthrough lines I and NJ is cut off and flow is permitted through lines l0 and 9. This releases thedifferential pressure applied to the mercury in the system permitting the mercury to leave chamber liquid fi'owing.through'line. "I at/the time :the sample is withdrawn. The procedure for withdrawing a samplei asz followsz A portable sampling. drum :isattachedto .line 35. This sampling drum is initially filled with a sealing liquid. .pValve 25 is then openedand the sealing liquid contained in the portable'sampling :Itis apparent the apparatus of this invention may be .modifiedxand improved .by various .:ex-

pedienta-severalrcf which are indicated in-the drawings; Forexample; it is preferred to maintain a restriction orificei31 in line 36. The orifiee 31: is such that only. :asmall :fiow of :fluidds permitted so that :at all times there is .acontinuous .fiow of the liquid ofconduit I through As a result, a fresh sample fromline i is. continuously maintained .atfthe in- 1 .letlofzthe :sampling .drum 5.. Again it .con- .wenient to: employ. a gauge .glass in gconjunction. with 'thesampling drum 5 sotas to determine the extent .to lwhichdrum 5::is.fi1led withsamples which have. been withdrawn. Further; refinements and modifications are indicated in Figures 2 and .3. In Figure 2 anembodiment ofithis invention isillustrated in which two solenoid-valves 'fifl'and'fil :are employed in placelof the single sole- 'noid valve '8.-of Figure 1... InFigure .2 parts ap- -pearin'g :in :Figure ii are. indicated by the same numerals 'and'aregshown in theisame general ari3 and once more substantially fill chamber I5.

Simultaneously sealing fluid flows from the upper portion of measuring chamber 15 through line H) and line 9 to the upper portion of mercury reservoir I3. This completes one sample cycle, and will be operative to place in drum 5 a sample which corresponds in quality to the nature of the fluid flowing in line I and proportional quantity to the flow rate of the fluid in line I at the time the sample was taken. The deactivation of solenoid valve 8 to finish one sample cycle will also restore the system to permit another sample to be taken on reactivation of the solenoid vvalve. As the apparatus of this invention is generally employed, it. is contemplated that the sampling cycle will be repeated at desired intervals in order that a composite sample will be obtained to indicate the composition fluid in line I over extended periods of time. Thus, the timing switch I8 may be so chosen as to cause periodic activation of the valve 8 over any desired interval such as ten minutes, thirty minutes, or several hours. sampling period when the desired composite sample has been accumulated, the sample may then be withdrawn from drum 5 through valves 25 and 26 and discharge line 35. In order to withdraw the sample through line 35 valves 2| and 23 are closed and valve 28 is opened. This will disconnect the high pressure side of orifice 2 from the system and permit withdrawal of sample from drum 5 without contamination of At the end of any desired V invention is illustrated in Figure 3.

rangement.- It '-.wi1l=be understood therefore :that Figure :2 represents :the'dower part oi. Figurei'il same type of timing switch [8 may be employed to operate these two valves relying upon one position of the timing switch to activate valve 50 permitting a sampleto be drawn into the sampling drum 5 and in the second position of the timing switch activating valve 51 to permit releasing the differential pressure on the mercury in the measuring chamber l5 and mercury tube iii. In all other respects the operation of the modification shown in Figure 2 is the same as' described in connection with Figure 1.

A further modification of the apparatus of this Again in this figure the same general configuration of the component parts are maintained so that only the lower part of Figure 1 is reproduced. In the embodiment shown a timing motor is employed to operate a conventional two-way valve 55 so as to duplicate the function of the solenoid valve 8 of Figure 1. The timing motor may be of any desired type such as those manufactured by Barber-Colman Company, Rockford, Ill. or Bodine Electric Company, Chicago, Ill. and is characterized by performing a particular cycling function at desired time intervals. Thus the motor is effective to alter the position of the two-way valve at the proper intervals to reproduce the .acoaeee function of the valves heretofore described; Thus by the continuing rotationcfzthe timing motor,

at any desired speed, the cycling steps described before may becarriedout. v V 7 What is claimed is:'.

tial, saidv first branch fluid passageway including a: first pair of fluid reservoirs, and a second branch fluid passageway connecting to each of .tive in a second position to provide a fluid passageway through said second pair of fluid reservoirs and one of the said first pair of fluid reservoirs, cutting-off any fluid passageway through the other of said first pair of fluid reservoirs.

2. The apparatus defined by claim 1 in which 'the'said second pair of fluid reservoirs have a configuration adapted to provide a vertical displacement of fluid proportional to the square root -of..:the differential pressure across the said means for causing a pressure differential.

3. The apparatus defined by claim 1 in which a "conduit connected to said first fluid branch passageway provides a fluid passage in said branch passage, by-passing said first pair of fluid reservoirs,,and a restriction positioned in said conduitwherebya continual controlled flow of fluid through .said conduitmay be maintained independent of fluid flowthrough said first pair of fluid reservoirs.

,tial, said first branch fluid passageway includ- 8 4.1Theapparatus deflnecl by claim 1 inywhich a restriction to fluid flow is positioned in said second branch whereby fluid surges throughthe second branch are minimized.

V l 5. Apparatus for sampling fluid flowing through 'arconduit comprising in combination, means for causing a pressure differential at a particular point of the conduit, a first branch fluid passagewayconnected to said conduit at two points, above and below said point of pressuredifierening a first pair of fluid reservoirs, and a second branch fluid passageway connecting to each of said firstjjpair of fluid reservoirs, said second branch including a second pair of fluid reservoirs valves in said branch passageways operative in-a first position to provide a fluid passageway through each ofsaid fluid reservoirs and operative in a second position to provide a fluid passageway through said second pair of fluid reservoirs and one of the said first pair of fluid reservoirs, cutting-01f any fluid passageway through the other of said first pair of fluid reservoirs, and a timing switch operatively connected to said valves tocontrolthe said positioning of the valves. V H v HARRY B. BREEDLOVE.

HENRY G. ABBOTT; V 1

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,452,143 Pellettere Oct. 26-, 1948 

